Toothpaste dispenser

ABSTRACT

A dispenser for toothpaste designed for attachment to the bathroom wall comprises a toothpaste tube enclosure having a pair of parallel tracks and a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;squeeze&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; carriage slideable in the tracks. The carriage contains an angularly diposed caterpillar tread that is propelled by the thumb in order to squeeze the tube.

United States Patent 1191 Forman Dec. 10, 1974 [5 TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER 3,326,420 6/1967 Turner 222/105 x [76] Inventor: Andrew Forman, 45-11 220 Pl., FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS y d 11061 350,865 6/1931 Great Britain 222/101 1,036,100 4/1953 France [22] 1973 1,096,390 11/1954 France [21] App]. No.: 392,032 590,548 1/1934 Germany 389,182 6/1965 Switzerland 222/102 [52] US. Cl. 222/101 primary Examiner Roben B Reeves [51] Iltl. Cl B6511 35/28 Assistant Examiner charles A [58] Field of Search 222/101, 102, 105, 106,

[561 315 ;231:551";3 22:;25522212553512:"21:? l n UNITED STATES PATENTS sure having a pair of parallel tracks and a squeeze Carter arriage lideable in the tracks The carriage contains an angularly diposed caterpillar tread that is propelled 2:343:916 3/1944 :1: 1 y the thumb in order t squeeze the tub 2,848,141 8/1958 Intagliata 222/101 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER This invention relates to bathroom accessories and more particularly to toothcleansing accessories and also to accessories for collapsible dispensing tubes in general.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a holder for a toothpaste tube that holds the tube vertically on a wall with the opening at the bottom and contain a simple thumb-operated means for completely expressing the paste from the tube. The holder has a pair of oppositely disposed longitudinal openings that serve as tracks for longitudinal movement of a carriage. The carriage comprises a pair of parallel rollers carrying a closed loop of flexible, frictional material such as a toothed or ridged rubber belt. Viewed from the side, the roller shaft are angularly disposed with respecct to the long axis of the tube, the wedge shaped space formed between the belt and the back of the holder pressing against the rear end of the tube. Thus, a downward movement of the thumb while applying pressure to the exposed roller will cause the carriage to move down and the wedged-shaped space progressively squeeze the tube flat.

Another objecct is to provide a dispenser that is easy to install, simple to operate, is trouble-free and easy to keep clean and rugged for years of use.

Still another object is to provide a dispenser that is simple in construction and materials used thereby making the dispenser saleable at an extremely low price.

Yet another object is to provide a dispenser that combines with the features above described provision for holding one or more tooth brushes and provision for temporary deposit of the tube cap while the dispenser is in use.

These and other objects will become evident upon a study of the following specification together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the dispenser showing a tube of toothpaste in place;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevation section view taken on line 44 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the figures, the dispenser comprises a tube-enclosing frame 11 and a carriage 12.

Frame 11 comprises two side walls 13a and 13b and an enclosing top wall 14 and a bottom wall 15 having a circular opening 16. Sides 13a and 13 are cut out so as to present pairs of opposing parallel walls 17a and 17b.

It should be noted that in accordance with the use of the invention, FIGS. 1 and 2 should be visualized as oriented vertically supported on a bathroom wall with the tube opening at the bottom end.

Carriage 12 comprises a pair of side walls 18 slideably engaged between walls 170 and 17b and a pair of rollers 19 and 20 pivotally supported in side walls 18. Further. a tread-like belt 21 encircles rollers 19 and 20.

Dispenser 10 is attached, hung or supported in any suitable manner on a wall or other surface. A tube of toothpaste 22 is loaded into the dispenser by removing its cap 23, inserting the neck of the tube through opening 16 so that the top end of the tube is held in the space formed between tread 21 and the back of the dis penser. Cap 23 may then be replaced. When it is desired to express a quantity of toothpaste onto a tooth brush, cap 23 is removed, held for a moment or put down, the thumb is placed on belt 21 in the area 21a and, while applying slight pressure, the belt is turned in the direction of the arrow.

Cap 23 may of course be placed on surface 14 during use of the dispenser. Optionally, construction of surface 14 may be varied to receive or hold the cap in any manner as for example, an opening or a circular ridge or recess or the like.

As toothpaste is used, it will become obvious that sidewalls 18 of carriage 12 will move smoothly between walls 17a and 17b as the wedgingaction continues down to the bottom of the tube. It will also become obvious, particularly from an examination of FIG. 2, that a very narrow gap can be maintained between belts 21 and rear surface 24 without introducing added resistence to downward movement of the carriage. Such close spacing assures complete removal of all toothpaste as the tube is completely flattened.

It should be understood that the scope of the invention and the appended claims can be extended to include one or more additional structural appendages such as brackets for holding toothbrushes, or the like.

What I now claim is:

1. A toothpaste dispenser comprising in combination, a box like frame that includes a rear wall, opposite end walls, and opposite longitudinal side walls, a carriage comprised of a pair of rectangular side plates each one of which is slideable within an elongated slot formed in each one of said frame side walls and extending between said end walls, each of said carriage side plates having bearing means for the ends of a pair of transversely extending rollers rotatably supported between said side plates, the axes of said rollers being parallel to each other, an endless belt being supported around the outer sides of said rollers, said rollers being spaced apart so as to keep the sides of the belt straight, one of said axes being closer than the other axis to said frame rear wall, the other of said axes being closer to one of said end walls, a top wall of said frame having an enlarged opening extending longitudinally between said end walls to permit placement to a toothpaste tube into the central interior of said frame, said one of said end walls having a central circular opening to receive there through a toothpaste dispensing neck formed on one end of said toothpaste tube, the protruding outward end of said neck adaptable to receive a toothpaste tube cap, the opposite end of said toothpaste tube being inserted into a wedge shaped space formed between said rear wall and one side of said endless belt, said belt side being angularly disposed respective to said rear wall, said wedge shaped space formed between said rear wall and said belt side converging in a direction which is away from said one of said end walls, and the outer surface of said endless belt having treads whereby manual rotation of said endless belt causes said carriage to advance slideably along said frame side wall slots to squeeze said toothpaste tube within said wedge shaped space. 

1. A toothpaste dispenser comprising in combination, a box like frame that includes a rear wall, opposite end walls, and opposite longitudinal side walls, a carriage comprised of a pair of rectangular side plates each one of which is slideable within an elongated slot formed in each one of said frame side walls and extending between said end walls, each of said carriage side plates having bearing means for the ends of a pair of transversely extending rollers rotatably supported between said side plates, the axes of said rollers being parallel to each other, an endless belt being supported around the outer sides of said rollers, said rollers being spaced apart so as to keep the sides of the belt straight, one of said axes being closer than the other axis to said frame rear wall, the other of said axes being closer to one of said end walls, a top wall of said frame having an enlarged opening extending longitudinally between said end walls to permit placement to a toothpaste tube into the central interior of said frame, said one of said end walls having a central circular opening to receive there through a toothpaste dispensing neck formed on one end of said toothpaste tube, the protruding outward end of said neck adaptable to receive a toothpaste tube cap, the opposite end of said toothpaste tube being inserted into a wedge shaped space formed between said rear wall and one side of said endless belt, said belt side being angularly disposed respective to said rear wall, said wedge shaped space formed between said rear wall and said belt side converging in a direction which is away from said one of said end walls, and the outer surface of said endless belt having treads whereby manual rotation of said endless belt causes said carriage to advance slideably along said frame side wall slots to squeeze said toothpaste tube within said wedge shaped space. 